Pneumatic thread remover for weft replenishing looms



May 28, 1946. R. G. TURNER PNEUMATIC THREAD REMOVER FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS Filed Aug. 31, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR Rum-wage TURNER ATTORNEY Patented May 2 8, 1946 PNEUMATIC THREAD REMOVER FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS Richard G. Turner, Worcester, Mass.,assignor to Crompton'dz Knowles Loom Works, Worcester,

Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application August 31, 1945, Serial No. 613,903 13 Claims. (01; 139-256) This invention relates to improvements in weft replenishing looms and it is the general object of the invention to provide means for pneumatically removing the thread which remains when the depleted bobbin is expelled from the shuttle.

On certain types of weft replenishing looms, more particularly those. employing a stationary magazine to provide various types of reserve bobbins, some form of shuttle feeler is ordinarily employed to determinewhether the shuttle is properly positioned for a transfer operation. This shuttle feeler or shuttle position detector is normally in a forward position out of the path of both the shuttle and the lay, but when a weft replenishing operation is called the shuttle feeler moves rearwardly while the lay is in a rearward position. As the lay moves forwardly the shuttle feeler will be moved early enough in the cycle of the loom to revoke the replenishing operation if the shuttle is misplaced, but if the shuttle is properly positioned for transfer the shuttle feeler will be returned to its normal position at a later time in the loom cycle.

It is an important object of my present invention to mount a pneumatic threadremover on the shuttle feeler in such manner that the remover is ordinarily away from the path of the shuttle and out of thread attracting position with respect to any weft end which may extend to a shuttle at the replenishing side of the loom during normal non-replenishing beats of the loom. When the shuttle feeler is moved rearwardly it carries the thread remover into position to attract the thread of the outgoing bobbin.

The thread to be removed extends from the selvage into the adjacent shuttle box and will move forwardly toward the thread remover as the lay approaches front center position. It is another object of my present invention to provide a thread placer normally in thread trapping position with respect to the remover but moved to open or thread receiving position by movement of the shuttle feeler to shuttle feeling position. The thread placer will move under the thread to be removed and will lift it to the intake mouth of the thread remover as the shuttle feeler is reset to its normal position provided the indicated weft replenishing operation has been completed. If, however, the indicating replenishing operation has been revoked the shuttle feeler will be moved forwardly to its normal position too early in the cycle of the loom to permit the thread placer to lift the thread to the mouth of the remover. In this way the operation of the thread remover is under control of the position of the shuttle to be replenished and will be prevented from attracting the thread if the shuttle is misplaced. By determining whether or not a replenishing operation shall occur, and whether a thread will remain for removal, the shuttle feeler also determines the position of the thread remover and whether or not the latter-shall be in position to attract a thread leading from the selvage into the shuttle box.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is aside elevation of part of a weft replenishing loom having my invention applied thereto, the lay and shuttle being shown in vertical section,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed View of the bobbin magazine as viewed from the center of the loom and in the opposite direction to that in which Fig. 1 is viewed, showing the thread remover mounted onthe shuttle feeler or position detector,

Fig. 3 is a plan view in the direction of arrow 3, Fig. 2, i

Fig. 4 is a front elevation looking in the direction of arrow 4, Fig. 3, the shuttle binder being removed to illustrate the relationship of the thread with respect to the shuttle,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged horizontal section on line 55 of Fig. 4,

Figs. 6 to 8 are diagrammatic views illustrating the manner of operation of the invention, and

Fig. 9 is a vertical section through the lower end of the thread remover tube showing the thread placer and trap in closed position.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1,2 and 3, the loom frame l0, lay II with shuttle box I2, top or crank shaft t3 and driving motor M may be of usual construction. The reserve bobbin magazine R is preferably of the multicolor type and includes a top rocking shaft it having an arm l5 secured thereto and connected to a depending rod IS. The latter is connected as at IT to a shuttle position detector or shuttle feeler i8 pivoted as at IS on a stand 2!! secured to the magazine R. The type of magazine shown in detail in Fig. 2 is well-known and is not thought to require extended explanation. It is believed suflicient for present purposes to state that the arm I5 is normally down so that the lower part of the shuttle feeler I8 is in a forward position, or to the right as viewed in Fig. 2.

When a replenishing operation is called the shaft it will be rocked in such a direction as to lift arm l5 and rod l6, thereby turning the shuttle feeler [8 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2 to move the lower part of the feeler rearwardly or to the left as viewed in Fig. 2. The feeler is provided with a nose 2| by means of which it is returned to normal forward position. If the shuttle S which is to be replenished should be misplaced, as by rebounding toward the center of the loom incident to its boxing, it will engage the nose 2| and move the shuttle feeler l8 forwardly, thereby exerting a downward pull on rod I6 to rock shaft I4 in the reverse direction and revoke the previously called transferring operation. During this revocation the transferrer latch 22 will be moved downwardly out of the path of the transfer bunter 23 on the lay and the transferrer arm 24 will remain in its normal up position. 'If the called replenishing operation proceeds normally the bunter will engage the latch and rock the transferrer arm so that the latter will move a reserve bobbinB into the shuttle S A thread cutting mechanism indicated more particularly in Fig. 3 includes a lever 30 having a left arm 3| under control of a lug 32 which moves with the transferrer arm 24. As the transferrer arm descends spring 33 moves the right arm 35 of lever 30 rearwardly and a cutter mechanism 36 on this last named arm will enter a slot 3'! in the box front 38, which may be the shuttle binder, and cooperate with a plate 39 on the shuttle to sever the weft thread W at a point adjacent to the shuttle eye E. As the depleted bobbin D is pushed downwardly that part of the thread extending from the cutter through the eye and to the bobbin is carried with the bobbin D away from the lay, but that part of the thread W which extends to the left of the cutter toward the selvage of the fabric F remains and must be removed to prevent it from being drawn into the warp shed on the next pick of the loom.

The matter thus far described is of common construction and may be made and operated in usual manner, the magazine being similar to that set forth in prior patent to Ryon 1,030,748, the shuttle position feeler |8 being similar to that indicated in McGuiness Patent No. 1,610,562 and the thread cutter being similar to that shown in Payne Patent No. 1,881,920.

In carrying my present invention into effect I provide pneumatic means for removal of that part of the thread W which extends between the thread cutter and the fabric. This means includes a pneumatic tube 40 fastened as at 4| to the shuttle position feeler l8 and having an intake mouth 42 at the lower end thereof. The upper end of the tube is connected by a flexible hose 43 to a thread collector 44 which in turn is connected by a second flexible hose 45 to a pneumatic fan 46 mounted as at 41 in fixed position with respect to the loom frame and driven by belt 48 from the motor M. The effect of this fan is to create subatmospheric pressures within the thread collector and the tube 0 for the purpose of drawing into the latter any thread which may be presented to the intake mouth 42.

A thread placer designated generally at 58 includes a rearwardly extending finger 5| of less width than the intake mouth and pivoted as at 52 to the lower end of the shuttle feeler |8. A forward arm 53 on finger 5| is connected to the lower end of a rod 54 the upper end of which is attached to a holder or carrier 55 pivoted as at 55 to the stand 20. Pivot 55 is spaced forwardly from the pivot |9 of the shuttle feeler so forward position, while the pump 46 creates sub- I atmospheric pressures to draw air into the tube 353, and the finger 5| is in raised position. When a transfer or replenishing operation is called the shuttle feeler it will move rearwardly as already described and the finger 5| will move rearwardly and downwardly in position to enter a slot 60 extending transversely across the lay and located between the boxed shuttle and the fabric. The weft thread will extend across this slot as indicated in Fig. 6 and as the lay moves forwardly the thread will pass over the finger 5| and will slide to a position in front of an upstanding hook 5| on finger 5| and located at a point intermediate the front and back limits of the intake mouth ig. As the lay continues to advance the nose 2| will be engaged by the box back 62 and the shuttle feeler l8 will be moved forwardly to its usual position, the thread W under these conditions being in front of the hook 6| and under the intake mouth 32.

As the lay approaches its front center position and the transferrer arm descends spring 33 will cause the cutter mechanism to move rearwardly to cut the thread W as already described to a point adjacent to the shuttle eye. AS soon as the thread is released that part of it extending from the tube 40 to the cutter will be attracted upwardly in the tube and out of the path of the shuttle box. This operation occurs when the tube is in its forward position due to the resetting of the shuttle feeler l8 and may occur while the shuttle is in the box provided the thread is able to move between the front wall of the shuttle and the shuttle binder 38, or will occur at the time of shuttle picking if the thread is pinched between the shuttle and the binder. In any event this part of the weft end. will be drawn into the tube 40 before it has an opportunity to be whipped into the warp shed.

That part of the Weft thread W extending from the tube 40 to the fabric will be cut at the selvage on some later forward beat of the lay by means of the temple cutter C, whereupon the whole thread will pass upwardly through the tube 49 and along the hose 43 into the thread collector 44.

If the shuttle should be displaced, as by displacement to the left from the position shown in Fig. 3, it will engage the nose 2| early enough in the forward beat of the lay to reset the shuttle feeler l8 to its normal position before the thread W can reach the hook 6| or be otherwise controlled by the finger 5| in such manner as to present it to the intake mouth 42. Under these conditions, therefore, the weft thread will not be drawn into the tube and will not be cut by the cutter mechanism 36 when a called replenishing operation is revoked, and no thread will remain for removal.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided simple means by which a pneumatic thread remover may be mounted on a shuttle feeler or position detector and moved from a normally idle to a temporarily operative position wh rearwardly, and upon a normal operation moves forward successively to the positions indicated disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a weft replenishing loom having a thread extending from a shuttle on a backwardiy and attracting the thread cur but being moved by the shuttle replenishing operation. i

"7.. In a weft replenishing loom set for a replenishing operation and having a thread extending from a shuttle on the lay to the selvage, a shuttle position detector in detecting position for engagement either by the shuttle if the latter is misplaced or the lay to effect return thereof to the normal position of said detector, and a pneumatic thread remover mounted on and moving with said detector and having an intake mouth positioned to attract said thread if said detector is engaged by the lay, said intake mouth being moved away from the position in which it is capable of attractng the thread by the shuttle detecting detector if the latter is engaged by the shuttle due to misplacement thereof.

8. In a weft replenishing loom having a thread extending from a, shuttle on the lay to the selvage, a shuttle position detector movable from the normal position thereof to a position in the path of the shuttle and lay preparatory to a replenishing operation and determining whether saidreplenishing operation shall occur and'preventingsaid operation if the shuttleis misplaced and engages said detector and permitting said operation if said detector is engaged by the lay when the thread'remover detector and having an intake mouth capable of if the shuttle position detector permits said replenishing operation to position detector to a position in which it is incapable of attracting the thread if the shuttle is misplaced and engages said detector.

9. In a weft replenishing loom in which a thread extends from a shuttle on a reciprocating lay to the selvage, a shuttle position detector movable from the normal position thereof to detecting position preparatory to a replenishing operation of the loom and thereafter returned to the normal position thereof incident to a replenishing operation, a pneumatic thread remover mounted on and having an intake thread trapping mouth to receive said thread, a finger adjacent to said intake mouth mounted pivotally with respect to the detector, operating means for said finger operative to hold said finger in trapping position close to said mouth when the detector is in normal position and operating to move the finger away from said mouth When the detector moves to detecting position, the thread moving to a position between the finger and mouth due to motion of the lay, and said finger being returned by'said operating means to the normal trapping position thereof to trap the thread at the intake mouth as the detector returns to the normal position thereof.

10. In a weft replenishing loom in which a thread extends from a shuttle on a reciprocating lay to the selvage, a shuttle positioning detector moving from the normal position thereof to shuttle detecting position preparatory to a replenishing operation and thereafter returning to the normal position thereof, a pneumatic thread remover mounted on and moving with said shuttle position detector and having a thread receiving intake mouth, normally closed thread trap means adjacent to said intake mouth when said detector is in the normal position thereof, operating means moving said trap means to open. thread receiving position when the detector moves to the detecting position thereof, the thread due to motion of the lay moving into said trap means moving with the detector and when the latter is open, and said operating means closing the trap means and causing the latter to move the thread toward said mouth when the detector returns to the normal position thereof.

11. In a weft replenishing loom having a thread extending from a shuttle on a reciprocating lay to the selvage, a shuttle position detector moving from the normal non-detecting position thereof to a detecting position preparatory to a replenishing operation and thereafter returning to the normal non-detecting position thereof, a pneumatic thread remover mounted on and moving with said detector and having a thread receiving intake mouth, a trap finger pivoted on said detector and having a thread engaging hook thereon adjacent means for the finger effective to hold the latter in closed thread trapping position when the detector is in the normal non-detecting position thereof and effective to move said finger to open position spaced from said intake mouth when the detector moves to the shuttle detecting position thereof, the thread due to motion of the lay moving along said finger and over said hook, and said operating means thereafter causing the hook to move said thread toward the intake mouth when the shuttle position detector returns to the normal position thereof.

12. In a weft replenishing loom in which a thread extends from the delivery eye of a shuttle on a lay to the selvage on a replenishing beat of the loom, the loom having a thread cutter to cut the thread between the delivery eye and the selvage when a replenishing operation of the loom is called if the shuttle is properly placed but failing to out the thread if the shuttle is misplaced, a shuttle position detector controlling th operation of the cutter and movable from the normal position thereof to the shuttle detecting position thereof preparatory to a replenishing operation, said detector being returned from the detecting position to the normal position thereof by the lay if the shuttle is properly placed, whereupon said cutter cuts the thread, and said detector being returned from the detecting position to the normal position thereof by the shuttle if the latter is misplaced, whereupon the cutter fails to cut the thread, a pneumatic thread remover mounted on and moving with the detector and having an intake mouth to receive the thread, said detector when returned to normal position thereof by the lay positioning said intake mouth to receive the thread which has been cut by the cutter, and said detector positioning said intake mouth awa from said thread if the shuttle is misplaced.

13. In a weft replenishing loom having a thread extending from the delivery eye of a shuttle on a lay to the selvage, a thread cutter to cut the thread between the delivery eye and the selvage, a shuttle position detector controlling the operation of the thread cutter and movable from the normal position thereof to the shuttle detecting position thereof preparatory to a replenishing operation of the loom, said detector effective to prevent operation of the cutter if the shuttle is misplaced and engages said detector when the latter is in detecting position, said cutter operating to cut the thread if the shuttle is properly placed and does not engage the detector when the latter is in detecting position, and a pneumatic thread remover mounted on and moving with the detector and having an intake mouth positioned by the detector to attract said thread when the latter is cut by said cutter.

RICHARD G. TURNER. 

